Steam laundry and pressing iron



"March 16,1937. fr. yTom-rmy Y 2,073,658

STEAM LAUNDRY AND PRESSING IRON Filed April v25, 1934 ATTORNEYS V25 an electrically `llatented Mar. 16, 1.937.

UNITED vSTATES PATENT OFFICE s'rEAM LAUNDRY AND PnEssl'NG mon- Y Thomas Stockton, Detroit, Mich.

f Application April 25,

l 3 yClafllls. The invention relates to laundry and pressing irons of that type which during operation con; stantly discharge steam through ports in the ironing or' pressing surface into the fabricbeing pressed. It is the object of the invention to obtain a construction in which the steam is internally generated but is limited in pressure by the pressure of a watersupply connection. It is a iurther object to automatically control the heat of the iron so as to always maintainthe ports and passages through which the steam passes at a temperature above the boilingpoint of water,4 thereby avoiding any danger l 'coming in contact with the fabric and at the 15 same timev to avoid any abnormal rise in temperature within the body o f the iron. Still further it is 'an object to provide means by` which the operator can control the amount of steam generated according to the requirementsof the 26 work. With these objects in view the invention consistsin the construction as hereinafter set forth.

' In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through heatedA steam iron of vmy improved construction, the section being substantially on 1ine22, Flg. 2; l

Fig. 2 is aplan view of the base of the iron with the cover and handle removed therefrom; 30 Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view showing .the arrangement of steam ports in the ironing face;

Fig. 4 is a cross section on line 4-4 of.Fig. 2;l Fig. 5 is a section on line 5 5, Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is across section on line 6`6,\Fig. 1. The body of my improved iron is preferably "formed of material having relatively high thermal conductivity, suchfor instance as an aluminum alloy. This body -A .has formed .centrally and longitudinally thereof chambers B and C and ranged sections of anelectrical heating unit D. This unit is preferablyvr of the armoredtype and is preferably cast into the body so as to bein close thermal conductive relation thereto. The chambers B and'C are closed by a cover plate E secured to the body A by bolts and provided withupwardly extending screw threaded studs G; H is' `a hood or cover plate through which the studs G pass and I are nuts engaging the studs for clamping the cover plate and a handled to the body A.

At the rear and at one s 'de of the body- A is a' tubular post K through which water is introduce@ for the generation. of the steam. From thi/subf lar posta passage K extends downward'into the 55 body A and is connected bya longitudinally exof unvaporizedwater u'p'o'nopposite sides of these chambers are ar- 1 1934, serian. 122,390

tending'passage K2 to the chamber B. Above the passage K2 the body A is recessed to receive a thermostat L which automatically controls the temperature of the iron. Inasmuch, however, as the water passage K2 is between the electrical heating unit D and the thermostat, the'latter will instantaneously respond to any cooling effect of incoming water to supply additional heat for converting the same into steam.

tends upward into proximity to the cover plate Between the chambers B and C is a partition B' Vwhich exy E, leaving only a restrictedclearance for passage of steam. The chamberB is also preferably provided with a horizontal baille plate B2 which sepa'v rates the lower portion of this chamber from an upper portion of restricted depth and which communicates with'the chamber C. The chamber C is connected with a vertical passage C' extending downward between the sections of the heating unit D and connecting with a transverse passage C2 below said unit. The opposite ends of the pas' sage C2- are connected with longitudinally extendingpassages M andM'which a're substantially parallel to thel sides of the body A and have connected thereto a seriesl of portsV N discharging through the ironing face. Thus any steam generated in the chamber B will pass over the baffle B2 into the chamber C down through the passage C' and lateral passage C2 to the longid4 'tudinal passages M and M' and will finally be discharged through the ports N.

The hollow post K has connected to. its upper end a valve casing O provided 'with a ,rearwardly extending nipple O' connected to av exible tube P leading from a source of water supply. Connecting with the nipple Of is .a passage 02 which ymay be variably restricted by means of an adjustable threaded stem Q havingan actuating head Q' at its upper end. 'I'he passage O2 leads to a chamber O3 containing a valve stem R hav-i.

.. ing a valve R controlling said passage. From the chamber post K. 'The valve stem R has a threaded engagement with a plug R2 closing the end of the chamber O3, and the outer end of said stem has -a rock arm T extending upward and having a thumb piece T' at its upper end adjacent to the handle J. Thus the operator can manipulate the O3- a passage O4 leads to the hollow j rock arm T bythe hand which grasps the handle age of water from the chamber O3 around the' valve stem R, a packing R4 is placed around the r valve and is held tight by the tension oi' a spring vS. i

Electrical current is supplied to the iron 5 through a suitable cord U and conductors V within the hood connect the thermostat and the lheating unit D in series. l

In use, when the iron is connected by the cord U with an electrical service and by the tube P lo with a water supply under pressure, the body A of the iron will be heated to a temperature above the boiling point o f water but overheating will be prevented by the thermostat L. The stem Q is adjusted in accordance with the pressure on l5 the water supply line so as to permit only a restricted ilow of water from the tube P into the chamber 0 3. Flow from this chamber into the hollow post K and thence into the chamber B is controlled by the valve R which when seated permits a very restricted amount of water to pass through the channel R3. 'I'hus assuming that the body A has been preheated, the water passing to the chamber B will flash into steam and when the steam pressure balances the water pressure, further ilow of water to said chamber will be arrested. While work is being performed, the operator can variably increase the generation of steam by pressing against the thumb piece T' of the lever T which by opening the valve R will permit a greater ilow of water into the chamber B. However, as before stated, the pressure in this chamber can never rise to a greater height than the pressure on the water line, as this will result in driving back water from said chamber.

Some of the important features of the invention are- First, that the temperature of the body A in which the steam passages are formed is always maintained above the boiling point of water so 40 that under no circumstances can unvaporized water be discharged through the ports N;

Second, thepressure of steam in the chambers and passages within the ii-on is limited tov the pressure of the water system;

Third, a constant ilow of a restricted quantity of water is permitted so as to maintain steam, even when the iron is not in actual use, this also to prevent overheating of the valve casing O;

Fourth, thepassage of the water into the body of the iron in close proximity to the thermostat insures that heatwill always be generated when any water is flowing but will-be cut -oif when the steam pressure equals the water pressure and the temperature of the body exceeds a predetermined DOint;

Fifth, the casting of the electrical heat unit into the body of the iron insures high thermal conductivity and a uniform temperature in all portions of the ironing or pressing surface Sixth. the quantity 'of steam generated may be varied by the operation of the lever T which is controlled by thev hand used in manipulating the iron. e Y Seventh, a very vital feature of the construction is that the steam generated in the chamber B must pass various haines and restrictions before it finally nds access to the channels M and M' having the ports leading to the ironing face.

As all of the parts are heated to a temperature above the boiling point of water. it is evident that any. mist or water particles carried in suspension will be eliminated bei'ore the steam nnds access to the ports N so that there is no possibility of injuring the garment by water coming in contact 75 therewith.

Eighth, the variable restriction to the water flow tormed by the adjustable stem Q permits of so adjusting that the admission of water to the steam generating chamber is always Within the steam producing capacity of the electrical heat- -ing means as controlled by the thermostat. In

other words, the incoming water can never exceed the capacity of the iron for converting the sameinto steam so that under no circumstances can water pass through and be discharged from the ports.

Ninth, provision is made for removing scale which vmight otherwise clog the iron and prevent its operation. As the water supply always contains a certain amount of mineral matter in solution, this'will be deposited at the point where the water is ilrst converted into steam. Thus with the construction shown, the passage K2 which extends from the hollow post to the-steam chamber intermediate the thermostat and the electrical heater is particularly subject to deposits. I have therefore provided means for cleaning out this passage. comprising a removable screw threaded plug U which closes an opening into the passage K2 from the side of the iron. 'I'his permits of the insertion of any suitable cleaning tool to scrape od any deposits that may occur in this passage. It is also possible to clean out the chamber B, should any deposits occur therein by re- Amoving the cover plate E.

Tenth, the steam generatiu chamber B has a port B3 (Figure 5) of fair y restricted area through which the steam from said chamber must pass above the baille plate B. This imparts considerable velocity to the current of steam with a sudden change in direction, with the eiect that mist particles are thrown out of the current against the hot surface of .the cover member E. The effect is repeated by other restrictions at various points in the steam Ipassage before reaching the ports N.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Ak steam laundry and pressing iron comprising a one-piece body` having an ironing face, a steam generating chamber above said face and having a water inlet, and steam passages leading from said 'chamber through said body to the ironing face, an electrical heater embedded in said one-piece body adjacent saidv chamber and steam passages, and a, thermostat also within said body adjacent said water inlet so as to be influenced by the presence or absence of water in said inlet for controlling said heater to4 maintain all portions of said body through which the steam passes at a predetermined temperature above the boiling point of water.

2. A steam laundry and pressing iron comprising a one-piece body having an ironing face, a steam generating chamber above said face, steam passages leading from said chamber through said body tothe ironing face and provided with ports opening through said face, an electrical heater embedded in said one-piece body 'adjacent said chamberl and steam passages, a

thermostat also within said body 'adjacent said chamber controlling said heater to maintain all portions of said body through which the steam .passes at a predetermined temperature above the boiling point of water, and a conduit connected to said iron and leading from a source of water supply under pressure, said body having a passage from said conduit to said steam generating chamber extending in such proximity to the thermostat that the thermostat will be inuenced by the presence or absence o! incoming water in said passage; y n

3. In a steam laundry andpresslng iron, a body having an ironing face, a steam generating cham- `ber above said face, steam ports opening through the ironing face, and a passage intermediate said generating chamber and ports, an electrical i heater'within the body for maintaining the same and all portions thereof in contact with' the:` steam at a temperature above the honing point of water,

va thermostat within the body controlling said heater, and means for feeding water under pressure from an external source to said steam generating chamber. including a passage intermediate said thermostat and heater in which water is first heated and partially vaporized.

THOMAS STOCKTON. 

